Jan. 26, 2003
TEMPE, Ariz. - The Santa Clara University men's tennis team dropped a 6-1 decision to 41st-ranked Arizona State University this afternoon in the Wildcats' season opener at the Whiteman Tennis Center in Tempe. Sophomore Taylor Bedilion earned the Bronco point, as Santa Clara falls to 1-2 on the season.
The Sun Devil win also marked ASU Head Coach Lou Belken's 250th career win and the 600th win in Arizona State history.
The Sun Devils got out of the gate quickly by taking two of the three doubles matches for the first point. The Devils' Olivier Charroin and Chris Stewart, the nation's 17th-ranked team, won the doubles point with an 8-3 victory over Santa Clara's top tandem of Michael Bruggemann and Erich Chen. The Broncos avoided the sweep with a victory at No. 3 doubles, as Bedilion and senior Federico Mattioli defeated Ryan McBride and Jonathan Stott, 8-2.
In singles action, ASU won five of the six matches all in straight sets. Pim Van Mele was first off on the No. 2 court with a 6-1, 6-0 win over sophomore Francisco Zepponi, while Charroin quickly followed with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Chen on the No. 1 court. The Devils clinched the dual when Clinton Letcher also won in straight sets on the No. 4 court over Mattioli, 6-4, 6-2. The Broncos gained their lone win on the No. 5 court late in the dual when Bedilion defeated Stewart in three sets, 6-4, 4-6, 7-5.
"I was very happy with the way the guys competed," SCU head coach George Husack said. "It was a tight match. Taylor grinded out that third setter. He was intense all the way through and never once let up."
The Broncos remain on the road but return to the Bay Area, taking on West Coast Conference opponent San Francisco on Wed., Jan. 29. First serve is scheduled for 2 p.m.
No. 41 Arizona State 6, Santa Clara 1
Doubles
1. (17) Charroin/Stewart (ASU) def. Michael Bruggemann /Chen (SCU) 8-3
2. Letcher/Van Mele (ASU) def. Ruso/Zepponi (SCU) 8-0
3. Bedilion/Mattioli (SCU) def. McBride/Stott (ASU) 8-2
Singles
1. Olivier Charroin (ASU) def. Erich Chen (SCU) 6-2, 6-2
2. Pim Van Mele (ASU) def. Francisco Zepponi (SCU) 6-1, 6-0
3. Clinton Letcher (ASU) def. Federico Mattioli (SCU) 6-4, 6-2
4. Taylor Bedilion (SCU) def. Chris Stewart (ASU) 6-4, 4-6, 7-5
5. Ryan Eveloff (ASU) def. Rick Ruso (SCU) 7-6 (3), 6-3
6. Ryan McBride (ASU) def. Ben Hidalgo (SCU) 7-6 (10-8), 7-6 (5)